Functions of a blog: #2) Encouraging reflection & critical thinking

Image credit: The Journal , a Creative Commons licensed photo posted by Hobo pd on Flickr.

Writing a blog post encourages reflection much like recording thoughts in a journal. Some questions I ask myself  are: Is the resource credible -- can I trust it? Is the resource important -- does it make a difference? Can I apply the resource to my practice -- is it useful?

 Then, if all the answers are "yes", I need to determine what to do with this resource. Is it potentially valuable to my colleagues -- should I blog about it or save it on Connotea? Or  should I just bookmark it privately?

My commitment to make blogging a regular habit forces me to answer these questions in the moment rather than putting off the decision-making until later (ie., never).